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Saturday, August 16, 2014

How to Get LinkedIn Endorsements

The short answer to the "How do I get LinkedIn endorsements" question is, Give and you shall receive.

Yes, it is that simple.

Of course there are several factors at play for this formula to work, and they include:

The number of network connections you have

How frequently you post

How frequently you interact with your network

And how generous you are endorsing others

I am sure there are many other factors at play, but the list above includes the most important ones.

Number of Network Connections

The law of averages dictates that the greater the number of members that are a part of your network, the greater the chances of getting endorsed. However, you must understand that building a strong LinkedIn network takes time, and receiving endorsements for your list of skills can—and probably will—take even longer.

LinkedIn is not Facebook (thankfully, I may add), and many members use it sporadically which, inevitably, reflects in the low numbers of connections they have which can result in poor or otherwise non-existent participation.

Frequency of Posts

As the saying goes, "Squeaky wheel gets the grease." And if your level of participation is just as an "observer," you automatically blend into the background, which makes you invisible so-to-speak, to your network.

When I talk about "posts," I am not necessarily talking about writing long-winded articles on a particular subject. If you happen to have enough stuff to share, then do it. If you are at this level then I will assume you have a blog or you are a contributor to one. In that case, you will have links to stuff you've shared in the past that should be of interest to some of the members of your network. Incidentally, this is one of the reasons I always tell people to be very picky when it comes to growing their LinkedIn network.

Posts also include comments you write when other members share something. In those cases, I encourage you to write something that adds value to the thread, lest you end up looking bad thanks to one-word comments that add nothing to the discussion.

Network Interaction

Yes, this is directly related to the paragraph above. LinkedIn is a professional network, and as such, you must network, for things to happen.

As a matter of fact, LinkedIn has made it very easy for you to participate in a very basic, yet effective level, by congratulating members who are a part of your network.

Things such as new jobs, promotions, birthday notices, etc., should appear in your inbox every day, and all you have to do is click a couple of buttons to share your salutations with the intended recipients. This, in turn, increases your visibility in front of other members who may not be part of your immediate network, but who may want to invite you into theirs.

Endorse Others

Endorsing others probably is the most important thing you can do as a LinkedIn member, and something that has the potential to get you endorsed in return. But don't do it for that reason. Endorse members of your network simply because you are a nice person. Plain and simple!

In Sum

Having a comprehensive LinkedIn profile can be a powerful tool, and having a good number of endorsements will make it look even better.

However, avoid (at all costs) joining any type of "services" that exist solely for the purpose of inflating your network numbers, but without a specific purpose. In other words, allow your LinkedIn professional network to grow organically and have it focused exclusively in areas that are related to your profession and/or interests.

I regularly turn down invitations to connect, if the individual sending the request, is in an industry that is totally unrelated to my areas of expertise. I am not trying to be rude or difficult, but my aim is to have a network that is beneficial to all parties involved.

Yes, this has taken a few years, and although my network is small compared to others, I don't look at this as a competition, and neither should you.